VERMONT
Record: 12-5 (2-0 America East)
Last Game: W, 91-78, at Dartmouth 1/10
Last 10: 6-4
Last Meeting: Vermont 66-51 on 2/25/17; Roland Nyama team-high 14; UVM finishes AE at 16-0
CM Unofficial Line: Vermont -11.5
KenPom RPI: Stony Brook 213, Vermont 70
KenPom Prediction: Vermont 78, Stony Brook 65
Listen/Watch:TV:
http://www.espn.com/watch/Vermont radio:
http://www.1013espn.com/Stony Brook radio:
http://www.943theshark.com/listenlive.aspxNotables:6-2/180 sr G Trae Bell-Haynes 12.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 4.6 apg, 1.3 spg, .493 FG%
6-3/190 rjr G Ernie Duncan 12.2 ppg, .424 3-pt FG%
6-8/215 sr F Payton Henson 11.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg, .395 3-pt FG%
6-8/220 sr F Drew Urquhart 8.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, .614 FG%
6-6/190 rso G Everett Duncan 6.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg, .448 3-pt FG%
Vermont has now gone four games without last year's leading scorer, Anthony Lamb, but his absence hasn't derailed them at all. UVM has won all four, including three by double digits. The lone exception was a nice win at Harvard.
They've filled in the void with a mix of Urquhart and Nate Rohrer. It's crazy how OLD this team is seniors, redshirt this, redshirt that. They've all played a lot of basketball over their time, including into the postseason each of the last number of years. A lot of teams would have been steamrolled by an injury to a guy like Lamb, but it was next man up for UVM. Of course, Bell-Haynes is the most important piece to the puzzle. He's the reigning conference POY, and is the odds-on favorite to repeat I would think. He's had a heck of a career.
While this year's hallmark wins really don't move the needle too well neutral floor against Northern Kentucky (68) and Bradley (118) people will probably always look back at their season-opening 73-69 loss at Kentucky as a reason to believe in UVM. They trailed by as many as 14 in the second half, but slowly reeled UK back in, chopping the deficit to three with two minutes left. It would have been an enormous win, but they nevertheless showed they can play with the big fellas.
But can they do it in the tournament? I think we all expect Vermont to cut down the nets in March, and they'd be looking at a 5/12 or 4/13 game. Last year, UVM earned a 13 and lost to fourth-seeded Purdue in the first round, 80-70. I highly doubt any team wants to see their name pop up opposite theirs on Selection Sunday due to their experience and guard play. And because they can reeeeeally shoot it. UVM ranks 17th in the country in three-point FG% (.410) and 28th in overall FG% (.490) geez, Virginia Tech shoots it better than 52%! Back on topic ... it would be a lot easier with Lamb, but couldn't you see UVM in the Sweet 16? Knock off some fledgling 5 and 4 seeds?
You wonder what happens to Becker if he keeps posting win after win after win. He's 151-74 at UVM, including 80-18 in conference. I don't see anyone knocking them off this year. GW (Becker's alma mater) is off to a dismal start in Atlantic 10 play, but I doubt they'd give up on Maurice Joseph after two years unless it completely unraveled. Could UConn go in another direction? I think Jim Christian at BC has bought a little time for himself. There will be plenty of openings nationwide, but I was just looking at the region first. Who knows what Becker's intentions are.